In Distress
by analise17
Summary: Post series, AsuCaga all the way. Cagalli: "I woke to darkness, pain and cold slicing through me. The hard, chilled floor ground into my shoulder and hip forcing me awake, bringing the pounding in my head and the discomfort of my body to the forefront." Warning: Abduction
1. Chapter 1

AN: I wrote this years ago and thought this and a completely different AU AH AsuCaga story would make a great Valentine's gift to anyone interested. Enjoy.

 **AN2: Also I own nada... forgot to post that. X(**

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I woke to darkness, pain and cold slicing through me. The hard, chilled floor ground into my shoulder and hip forcing me awake, bringing the pounding in my head and the discomfort of my body to the forefront. I couldn't breathe. Something filled my mouth and hampered my lungs making my heart rate sky-rocket. I thrashed for air finding my hands and feet constrained by what felt and acted like cord. Turning on one side I found I could breathe through my nose ever so slightly better and forced myself to still.

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.

Easy. Does it.

As my heart rate descended the throbbing in my head relented slightly. I tried to force whatever was plugging my mouth out but I found a wad of cloth wedged deep inside and secured above my tongue by what felt to be another cloth strip wound around to the back of my head. The fabric was damp already from absorbing dearly needed moisture from my body. The dry burning in my throat and eyes took my memory back to those desert days.

Struggling to fight away the circling panic I focused on my situation. My wrists were securely bound behind me and they and my shoulders were sore from my thrashing and who knew what else. Gently stretching my body I found my ankles also tied tightly and my shoes missing. Overall my whole body felt tender, bruised and freezing cold but the only other focus of pain was thankfully found in my head. Something wet and sticky was in my hair and smeared down my face from my left temple; as my further senses returned I realized the metallic scent of blood probably belonged to it.

The floor, which I now recognized as concrete was gritty under my face and fingers – with what I presumed was dirt – and the air, although still, seemed to carry a clean earthy feel. Other than the sound of my own breathing and my heart thumping in my ears everything seemed deathly quiet. The absolute darkness seemed to press from all sides leaving me without any idea of my prison's dimensions. Stretching out again with my fingers, toes and the crown of my head I found no telling detail except that the way the room barely echoed back my own muffled sounds. It seemed I was underground which ripped a whimper from my chest. Buried in a sense, and perhaps forgotten.

Searching behind the pounding that now seemed to come from my bleeding temple I grasped at fragments and images that played in my mind, tumbling like a jerky kaleidoscope forced in and out of focus.

Driving in the rain, coming from or to a meeting.

Sitting beside him discussing (arguing) about dinner.

Covering my ears from the sound, shrapnel and debris flinging at us from all sides.

Him: covering me with his own body and shoving me down into the car's foot wells.

Wet dripping on my face from the shattered car windows, my companion yelling to the driver, sirens in the distance.

My people screaming.

Gunfire opened right above our heads.

The injured driver – Hank – taking us down a side street. Another spray of bullets and him limply falling over the steering wheel.

The car veering to the left and crashing into a light pole.

Him: drawing his concealed pistol while pulling me with him out of the car. Incessant ringing in my ears as the world blurred and wheeled before me.

Being pulled by him, one-armed around my waist, as we fled.

Him: yelling into his radio while returning fire, another bomb detonating right in front of us.

Being thrown to the ground with him on top.

Him: blurrily stirring above me, face wincing in pain as he tore several shards out quickly from his right shoulder and side, the fragments dripping with dark red.

Struggling for breath.

Him: checking my left temple, the world careening around me as he pulled me to my feet.

Us: both panting and leaning on each other, back up against a wall as we see we are surrounded.

Struggling for breath, peering over his shoulder.

Him: still leveling his pistol to keep them at bay, the enemy well covered leaving us in plain sight.

Marshaling my breath to say his name as I realized they were wearing gas masks.

Him: firing off rounds even as the canisters landed and spewed chemicals around us.

Us: forced down by gunfire once again, kneeling together trying to breathe through our sleeves as he still fired through the haze, then us both collapsing,

Him: whispering my name as everything faded to black. "Cagalli…"

Blinking back to the present I felt hot tears rolling down my face. I could still feel the chain with its treasure underneath my shirt and wished I could grasp it for comfort. One word, 'Please,' echoed in my head as I made a muffled attempt to say a name, to ask for my lover.

 _Athrun?_

Only the darkness answered.

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PS. I have no beta so please point out any and all errors. :) Thanks and onward!


	2. Chapter 2

Time meant nothing as each moment seemed a year and each second a fraction of itself absorbed by the darkness. Turning to action I'd tried to untie my ankles by bending backwards but found the knots tight and ungiving enough that my cold-numbed fingers were not up to the task. Neither were my wrists tied with enough slack to draw my arms around my legs and have them in front. My one consolation was that I was alone and I prayed that meant Athrun was safe.

Finding enough strength I had explored as best as I could my cell. This included a great deal of rolling and wriggling with frequent pauses so I wouldn't pass out from lack of air. At least my efforts had resulted in loosening the gag a bit enabling me to breathe easier around the obstruction. From all this I could guess that it was a completely cement room measuring about eight feet by nine feet and had a slight slope towards the middle where a drain had been set. I also found protruding into the space a set of narrow, also concrete, stairs up to what must have been a door. Either it was night or the door connected to a darkened building because I still hadn't seen a crack of light. Sitting up in the darkness made me horribly dizzy so I tried to gather what little power I had by lying on the floor.

Everything hurt. Reliving the horror that had brought me here had my mind retreating and shying away from all logic and I wrestled with myself to reign in reason. My exploration had done nothing to stem the flow of blood from my head. I knew that head wounds that didn't bleed were more dangerous but blood loss was not my friend either. Surrendering to sleep was not an option – I refused to sit on my hands in any situation, plus sleep in my current condition might be fatal.

My pockets were empty, any items had been removed while the rest were either in my purse or my jacket – which were both left in the car. Athrun carried everything else of note.

Athrun. The last thing I'd seen before passing out was his face, eyes drawn and panicked, calling my name as I succumbed to the gas first underneath him, all the while he bled heavily from his side. Shaking myself I forced my fear for him to the back of my mind. I had to believe in him – believe that he was alright, that he was looking for me right now and that he would find me, that in the end we would both come out of this unscathed and whole.

The gag was soppy in my mouth and bitter, perhaps laced with further chemicals to dull my mind and senses. Tearing about in my memory I tried to bring to mind any information that might help me through this. My Father, Kisaka, and even Athrun had planned over the years for every scenario, drilling me throughout the years on what I should do to rescue myself or at least better my circumstances should I be captured.

Such training had deeply concerned Athrun; that his teachings would be responsible should he fail in his duties and that I would have to make up the difference in such an occurrence. I could tell a part of him had battled with the idea but he had strengthened his resolve to help me however possible, even if that meant being hard on me, demanding, so as to hone my skills. Looking back with the hindsight of my current predicament there were times that I perhaps could have been less bull-headed.

I knew that there had to be some lesson or resource I'd forgotten, but the cold had taken hold of me and my mind sluggishly tried to cipher through my training. Curled up in a ball I tried to puzzle through my options. I had no jewelry except for the ring, no way to break or loosen my bonds; even the concrete stairs were old and crumbling. For all intents and purposes my captors seemed to want to keep me as uncomfortable as possible, perhaps to further their demands at the threat of my situation and potential demise.

In a desperate attempt to get back some water I had been sucking on the rag in my mouth but I could feel the chemical pull even stronger. Clinically I realized it had been prepared and placed there with obvious purpose. The gag left my mouth stretched wide, chaffing against the sides and it brushed along my teeth. Whoever had tied it must have…

My eyes drew wide staring out into the darkness as one memory from about five months ago swam to the surface. Kisaka and Athrun were trying to suggest a new precaution should we ever be separated in a serious situation. Since they both knew better than to gang up on me Athrun had brought it up again later when we were alone together. I had flung every suggestion he gave right back at him; since he had proposed it I thought that I could goad him out of the idea and get myself off the hook.

 _"You never know when you might need it. It pains me to say this but there might be a time when I'm not there or I can't protect you" he tried to reason. Although logically it was possible I refused the idea. It would be a serious constraint on my freedom and could be used against me – against the country – in worse circumstances._

 _"Like heck would I do that. If you like it so much why don't you get your own!"_

 _"If I did it would you do the same?" He challenged with a slight tilt of his head, it was in times like these that I really wished we were the same height still._

 _He kept my gaze as I tried to figuratively stare him down. My eyes narrowed on his. "Would you really?"_

 _Nodding he kept the challenge light. "It could even be customized so that you would have to activate it personally, although it would be painful."_

 _I glared at him, hoping he would fold but he stared right back at me. Blinking I regarded him shrewdly. "You're actually worried about this."_

 _His mouth set in a firm line. "_ Yes _. The fact of the matter is I want you to have any and every advantage possible." Unspoken words hung between us. He waited, patiently letting the choice be mine._

 _I hated having these discussions the most. Had it been anyone else I would have considered it emotional blackmail but I knew he was just that serious about my safety. "Okay, then. We'll go over the options tomorrow."_

 _Once again he nodded and bringing his arms around me, drew me close. "Thank you" he whispered, his head on mine._

My eyes had started to mist over at the memory of his touch. Shaking the longing away I turned myself back to the corner of the stairs which was my only option. As far as I could tell there was at least no railing on the first step to hamper my decision and it should be hard enough to suit my needs. Angling myself I flipped over, ignoring the protest in my whole body. Lifting my head I found the corner of the step and traced the gritty cement over my left side teeth. There. Practicing three or four times I took a moment to steel my nerves.

One. Two. Three.

I yelled into the gag and slammed my head, more specifically my left third molar, right into the cement stair corner. Fireworks exploded before my eyes and I literally saw stars as I screamed from pain into the cloth. My eyes were streaming, my head injury and now my neck were in agony, my check and mouth throbbing from the blow, but most importantly I felt that the crown of my second to last molar had come loose above the raw nerve, activating the locator that had been lodged in my tooth months ago.

While resting my head on the wonderfully cool concrete floor I could feel blood seeping into the gag. Hoping it was enough I closed my eyes, and finally let the ever present darkness engulf me.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Last chapter.

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I woke as sound bombarded my brain. Unearthly screeching filled my ears and booted feet tromped above and behind me as I realized I was no longer alone in the building. My only thought was if I wasn't being rescued then whoever was there better go the heck away or at least keep it down.

Muffled yells were heard behind me but I conserved my energy rather than turn and see what was happening. Already I could tell that I was no longer in absolute darkness as light seemed to filter through the doorjamb; although I could hardly make out any detail the knowledge was heartening. It and the struggle to open the door meant that whoever was coming to visit was determined and most likely unwelcomed by those who had left me here.

With a shuddering scrape the room was flooded with more light than my eyes could handle and I groaned, shutting them. I struggled to face the figures that clamored down the stairs as their flashlight had found my prone form. Various forms of my name and title were thrown at me but I disregarded them all except for the one I wanted to hear so dearly.

"Cagalli? Cagalli!" He was here.

Graceful steps down the stairs brought him to my side. I could feel his hands checking me over and I opened my eyes a slit to take in his own form. "Turn the lights away, get a medic down here!" he ordered the search team then to me he soothed "I've got you, you're safe now."

Before I knew it his knife had sliced off my gag and he gently helped me remove the wad that had been in my mouth, including my crown.

His name came from my lips as a sigh "Athrun."

I could see him clearly now in the ambient glow of the flashlights, his face a mixture of relief, concern, and carefully masked anger at my condition; looking him over he seemed untouched. "Tell me if this hurts." Making swift work of my bonds he carefully helped me straightened out my limbs and eased me into his lap. Then gently he cradled my head and look over my wounds with a feather light touch. "What happened? What did they do?"

"Nothing. I woke up here. You?"

He murmured his reply as he focused on my head "They only took you." His tone masked a tumult of emotions I couldn't decipher at the moment. All I could tell was that there was more to come when we were behind closed doors.

A medic crouched beside us and methodically started to check me over in kind. "What are your injuries Lady Atha?" Taking out a small flashlight he checked my pupil dilation. He then exchanged a look with Athrun. I felt his body jerk towards the gag, probably solving the mystery.

"Just my head, otherwise some minor bruises and welts I think." I knew it was pointless to argue and I just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. Athrun's fingers soothing back my hair for the medic to see my left side brought such comfort I had to close my eyes. I'm sure I looked awful but I'd never felt better, safe in his arms.

I felt Athrun accept something from another of the squad, and then I found an open canteen held to my lips. "Small sips. Take your time."

The water over my tongue was blissful as it chased away the feel and taste of the gag and blood, answering the craving my body so desperately needed. The bevy of activity had calmed as the tiny room allowed for hardly more than us, one medic, a guard at the door and one in the room; all the rest seemed to have left. Safe in Athrun's arms, warm in his embrace, I let the doctor probe, clean and dress my wounds. The whole time Athrun held me, answering each of my winces with his own. If I looked up I could see his handsome face as he bent over me, pretending to avidly watch the doctor work. My Haumea amulet had swung free of his shirt collar and bullet proof raid vest and now rested in plain sight.

"How long?" I finally asked after I had drunk a bit more of the water. As time went on feeling was returning, my previous aches and pains now compounded with the raw nerve and swelling on the left side of my mouth.

He flatly replied "ten hours."

I could feel a small smile tugging at the sides of my abused and bruised mouth. "It worked then. Thanks for talking me into it."

His only answer was a fleeting glance to my cheek, too quick to interpret. "Yes, that's how we found you."

Any further talk was ended as the medic wrapped me in a blanket and gave approval to move me. Before anyone could suggest otherwise Athrun gathered me to him, blanket and all, with my head's good right side resting on his chest's left and stood with me in his arms. "But you – Athrun! Your –" My strength was failing me fast, causing me to trip on my words but not dulling my remembrance of his own injuries. My eyes were heavy but I struggled to keep them open. Looking around the tiny space I found the floor streaked with blood – my blood – but an otherwise innocuous room.

"Shh. It's fine. I've got you." He proceeded to carry me up the stairs. Corridors of twists and turns revealed that I was in a large abandoned farm house, left in one of the cellars I would have been nearly impossible to find otherwise.

"How many people – ?" Part of me didn't have the heart to finish that sentence and as a coward I hoped that Athrun would understand and answer.

His hold tightened, changing to an embrace. "Ten civilians killed. Fifteen injured, only three of them children. Four on the force, and Hank."

I forced my brain forward. We would honor and grieve as a nation. "And them?"

"We were able to apprehend most of them, the search is ongoing; the ringleaders wouldn't tell us anything of your whereabouts. I'm guessing they were hoping to …"

At a distance from that room, safe in his arms, I could sate my curiosity. "Use me as leverage for their release." I stated flatly. "What exactly were their demands?"

His face was stone but his hold remained gentle. "Just a terrorist group wanting to influence Orb's politics and ransom for money."

"How far were they willing to go?" I'm guessing he was hoping he wouldn't have to answer that since I was groggy enough as all that met me was silence. Instead I smacked his chest, which in my state was more like a short pat but he still knew the difference.

"Stop that – you're injured." Great. Looking at his determined face I could tell he'd shoved down his own emotions to be strong for me. Plus that …and his hurt side must have pained him,…which he was probably …hoping I didn't remember.

A cold breeze helped keep me awake as he carried me outside. Whatever activity there was went still but Athrun kept walking to the medic transport. "Is this entirely necessary?" I sat as straight as I possibly could with Athrun's arm trying to support me as I attempted to look alert and strong; I was further grateful that he'd arranged my hair over most of my head's bandages.

"Yes. You're dehydrated, injured and in shock not to mention drugged and in a great deal of pain." I opened my mouth to argue "And if you don't go to the hospital willingly I will tie you down and if necessary knock you unconscious to get you there. Be glad that I spared you from being carried out on a stretcher" he ended with a tone of forced lightness. This was one of the least – and most – endearing things about Athrun: loyal to a fault, even when such loyalty went against your expressed wishes.

Gently he laid me on the cot inside the vehicle and my eyes started to drift close. I felt the prick of a needle, probably the start of a saline drip, but then startled as I felt something tightened around me. In the dim light my half open eyes were met with concerned emerald "it's ok, I'm just securing you for the ride." Looking down I found the normal nylon restraint snug around my shoulders. Further down Athrun leaned across me to place the second around my legs. My eyes closed in exhaustion and I couldn't find the strength to lift them; but when I shifted it felt like I was back in the basement tied up in the dark and in a drowsy panic I couldn't help but struggle against it, against all of it – still alien and strange.

The medic's voice came from a distance. "Lady Atha, please don't move, your injuries –"

"Cagalli." His soft voice at my ear was accompanied by a light hand on my stomach stilling me while his other found and grasped my own hand. "You're safe now. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

A small smile curled sleepily on my lips despite the situation. "Promise?"

I could almost hear him smiling "I promise Cagalli."

With my other hand I groggily clutched the small bulge under my shirt where my ring from him lay on its chain. Slowly I felt what little had been left of my strength ebb. Before I went under I whispered "I love you."

I felt more than heard his answering reply as I surrendered myself entirely to his watch and slept.

The End

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AN: The characters are older and wiser hence Cagalli keeps her whining to a minimum, plus she'd been drugged to make her compliant. Point is I didn't want the kind of Cagalli who would have a tantrum just because Athrun cared; instead she would choose to pick her battles wisely and would make a point to discuss Athrun's trapped emotions later as people do in healthy relationships. Does that help this make more sense to everyone? Basically I wanted Cagalli to be rescued but my conscience wouldn't let me have her do nothing. She's still the strong, stubborn and determined heroine we all love. J

This was inspired by the stories "Girl in the Box" by Ouida Sebestyen, "Long Live the Queen" by Ellen Emerson White, and the songs "I Grieve" by Peter Gabriel and "Will I Ever Make It Home" by Ingram Hill.

I'm tempted to write Athrun's point of view one day but for now this will stay as is; I can only take so much of his angst and my limit's not half of what Cagalli's is. :P


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